Air gun #2 and grouse hunt
I was so impressed with the preformance of my diana model 24 i decided to buy an air pistol, from reading reviews online (thank god for the internet, i was planning on getting a really ruddy one for almost the same price) i found the most accurate to be made by Smith & Wesson. i bought the Model 686 in stainless steel with 6" barrel for about $300 with tax. some of the features i really liked were the 10 shot elongated clip (most pellet pistols can only take wadcutter round nose or hollow point pellets due to thin cylinders, this one could take my diabolo pointed boxers (which are twice as long and heavy as regular pellets) without jamming once. the velocity on the 686 is also 50-150 fps higher then most air pistols which makes them ideal for my purpose.
after getting tired of shooting at paper targets i went camping in my favorite secluded area north of whitemouth lake. after setting up camp i went for what i intended to be a 2 hour hike but about 15 minutes along my trail i ran into a (flock??) of ruffled grouse (very stupid kind of prarie chicken) i was pannicked because i didnt notice them untill i almost (almost) stepped on one i quickly fired off 2 shots at the one i saw (both hit at about 6 feet) which sent about 6 others jumping/flying /running away. i grabbed the revolver with both hands and fired 3 shots at one of the ones flying away one of which hit dead on the heart (about 13 yards behind a small bush). too excited to think that i already shot my supper for the night (and they next few) i ran after the rest of the flock. i fired (almost) blindly at one of the ones flying away twice (20-30 yards) neither of which hit and continued running , the further shots sent the grouse into even more of a panick and one which had been siting on a tree branch almost directially above my head came down drumming (drumming is when i grouse beats it wings really fast and really hard it sounds sort of like a boat motor starting when your 1/2 a mile away, this guy sounded like a camero without a muffler and almost gave me a heart attack but i managed to recuperate before he got away and fired my clip dry (and then some) at his retreating silhouette. atleast one hit him because he dropped about 20 yards away from me.
that was the most successfull hunt i have ever had and it was originally just supposed to be a hike.
i dont have any pictures of the gun (or the hunt) because i lost my camera a week ago but ill be sure to take some when i find it because this pistol is just beautiful. the pictures online really don't do it justice...
